Freezing tray agitator



-Jan- 22, 1935.l R. l.. coLEMAN Er 1. 1,988,542

FREEZING TRAY AGITATOR Filed Aug. 21, 1954 I v| l l l l 4 l VENTORS I l l Br W/ezjmwv wrm iss:` ATTORNEYS .Patented Jan. 2?, 193s PATENT OFFICE FREEZIN G TRAY AGITATOR Ruth L. Coleman and Robert L. Sandberg, Long Beach, Calif.

Application August 21, 1934, Serial No. 740,831

Z Claims.

The invention relates to an agitator and more especially to an agitator device for freezing trays of electric refrigerators. The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein through the use of a plurality of agitator plates, the contents of a freezing tray for electric refrigerators will be worked by agitation and this being desirable when freezing desserts within an electric refrigerator. v

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character, wherein its construction permits the application thereof to a freezing tray so that the contents of this tray can be agitated for the making of frozen desserts, the device being novel in form and does not' interfere, when associated with the freezing tray, with the removal thereof from its compartment within the electric refrigerator or the placing of said tray within the compartment for the freezing operation.v l

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is readilyl portable,v simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and eiiicient in its operation, automatic in action, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated lin the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. I

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through the freezing compartment of an electric refrigerator, showing the freezing tray in this compartment and the agitator device constructed in accordance with the invention associated therewith.

yFigure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is asectional view von the line 3--3 of Figure 2 looking in 'the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view onthe line 4-4 l of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference `characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in 'the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally the freezing compartment within an electric refrigerator and B the freezing 4 tray which is removably fitted within this compartment, this tray being vof standard construction, and adapted for operation within the tray is an agitator constituting the present invention and Vhereinafter described. l'

The agitator comprises a chassis 5 made from sheet metal having the corner-engaging cleats 6 for the secure separable mounting of said chassis in the tray B at the open top thereof. This chassis is formed with a slot 7, it being located centrally of said chassis and disposed longitudinally following the longitudinal median of said chassis. Fitted in the slot 7 is a slide or movable shoe 8 which carries a hanger rod 9 'for a plurality of spaced transversely arranged agitator plates 10, these having cut and bent reversely therefrom angular louvers 11, and such plates 10 are adaptedfor reciprocation within the tray B, influenced by the slide or shoe 8, so that the contents within suchtray B will be thoroughly agitated during the freezing period within the electric refrigerator.

Mounted upon the chassis 5 is a rotatable gear wheel 12 having an eccentric wrist pin connection 13 with a throw arm 14 which is pivoted, at15, tothe slide or shoe 8, so that on rotation of the gear wheel 12 a reciprocatory movement will be imparted to this slide or shoe.

The gear wheel 12 is adapted for detachable meshing engagement with a companion pinion 16 on the drive shaft 17 of an electric motor 18 which, through the medium of brackets 19 land 20, respectively, is detachably mounted in place to function as a power medium for the agitator. It is desirable to have the motor 18 located remote from the front of the compartment A, which front is open for the removable introduction of the tray B therein and thus not interfere with the placing of the tray in the com'- partment or its removal therefrom.

'Ihe chassis 5 in its construction functions as a cover to the tray B, the chassis being constructed to afford an open cover for the said tray and being readily removable from the latter on the taking of the tray B from the compartment A. When the chassis 5 is fitted with the\tray"B and both in such fitting are placed within the compartment A, the gear wheel l12 I will readily mesh with the pinion 16 and on the starting of the motor 18 the agitator plates 10 will be reciprocated' within the tray B for the agitation of the contents thereof. The agitator 'is utilized for agitation of the contents of said like. The agitator is also useful for whipping cream or in the making of ice cream.

What is claimed is: 1. In an agitator device of the kind described, the combination of a freezing compartment permanently fitted within an electric refrigerator and open at its front and back, a freezing tray within said compartment and removable through its open end, a chassis closing said tray and separable therefrom. a motor unit for mounting at the rear of said compartment and having a vertically disposed driving shaft confronting the back opening of said compartment, a removable agitator depending within said tray and slidably connected with the chassis, a driven gear onthe chassis for projection through the back open end of -the compartment, a link eccentrically connected with the gear: and connected with said agitator, and a pinion fixed to the driving shaft for meshing engagement with said gear.

2. In an agitator device of the kind described, the combination of a freezing compartment perassassin!4 tically disposed driving shaft confronting the back opening of said compartment, a removable agitator depending within said tray and slidably connected with the chassis, a driven gear on the chassis for projection through the back open end of the compartment, a link eccentrically connected with the gear and connected with said agitator, a pinion fixed to the driving shaft for meshing engagement with said gear, and clips on themotor for releasably xing the same without the compartment to have its driving shaft l confronting the back open end of said compart- 

